West Kelowna Water Quality Advisory continues

Excess algae growth is being blamed for a water quality advisory affecting thousands of people West Kelowna.

About 4,000 homes are on the Lakeview System, which gets its water from the Rose Valley reservoir.

An unusually warm spring meant algae growth got a head start in that reservoir; now the water  is turning over leaving it murky.

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“It’s not a common problem for West Kelowna,” Allen Fillion, General Manager of Engineering said.   “The last time it happened was 2008.”

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The water quality is listed as fair, which means it’s recommended the water be boiled for one minute before it’s used by children, the elderly, or people with compromised immune systems.

The increased turbidity in the murky water is concerning, because microorganisms can attach themselves to particles suspended in the water.

The Water Quality Advisory was issued on August 4.

You can read the advisory on the City of West Kelowna website, and find a map of the affected areas.